M97 Elk Recovery and Engineering Vehicle
The M91B Elk Armoured recovery Vehicle is a Coyote series vehicle for a variety of engineering operations damaged. It features a heavy duty winch at the rear of the vehicle and two anchor spades to extend into the ground for lifting operations, allowing it to recover trapped or immobilised vehicles. The winch has 234 meters of wire cable and a pull capacity of 13 tons though it needs a 1/4 snatch block for pulling weights greater than itself. At the front of the vehicle is a light weight bulldozer for clearing roads and other flat surfaces of debris to allow it to clear paths. It carries a forward mounted mine detection system, using a ARGUS sensor, an accurate LASER spectrometer able to sniff out explosives, a forward facing thermal camera to detect heat generated by active mines, a forward facing magnetic anomaly detector to detect the presence of ferric metal and high output energy systems and a metal detector for sensing high-metal mines. It also has the ability to mark lanes for following forces, carry appropriate gear for recovery and repair operations and obstacle clearing equipment. The Elk is fitted with a turret carrying a MOLE mine clearing charge which can cut a path through a minefield using an unravelling plastic explosive tube. This can be reloaded from the rear hatch. The engineering team has the necessary equipment and cover to get out and preform their duties under fire. The vehicle is built up from a titanium alloy chassis with bolted on mixed titanium/composite/AEGIS ceramic plating, giving it enough strength to withstand up to 70mm high velocity guns, though it's armour is compromised near instantly. It is powered by a powerful V8 hydrogen powerpack which burns the hydrogen fuel at a very high temperature with a synthetic carbon/silicon catalyst to achieve even better fuel consumption, allowing it to reach speeds of 107KPH. The engine powers all eight wheels. These powerpacks also power the on-board communications, sensors the gun and other electronic systems. The wheels each have independent adaptive suspension using adaptive Magneto-rheological dampers to ensure comfort, stability, control and agility and use nanotube skeleton run-flat tires, providing all the benefits of normal tires, with none of the drawbacks while being nigh-indestructible. on top of that, each wheel has titanium composite rims and fully articulate and individual suspension, with the front four being supported by titanium alluminide/AEGIS composite tire shields, protecting them from further harm. Each wheel can, individually, have its pressure modified to adjust its cross country ability. It features a V shaped sealed hull, with a high concentration of non-newtonian material with heavily sloped armour and ability to become amphibious, to a limited extent, allowing it to cross rivers and lakes to combat the enemy. It's raised engine exhausts also feature thermal shrouds to disguise the vehicle during operations. The vehicle contains a weight transference system linked to gyroscopes to achieve a perfect balance even over rough terrain, transferring inbuilt weights and fuel to keep the vehicle balanced and stable. The computer controlled power distribution system can distribute the power to each wheel accurately enough to maintain enough traction to keep it mobile and all wheels operate by a triple redundant drive-by-light control system. Like all hydrogen powered vehicles in the UNSC, it features a inbuilt AMG H/G Actuator. It is capable of converting up to 12 liters of water (from any source) into hydrogen quickly and efficiently, compacting any non-convertible detritus within the water on board and allowing a range of 200 kilometres from just overnight condensation catchments. This allows it to operate almost indefinitely in the field, where a supply of water is plentiful. The vehicle has a hydraulic ram door to the back and doors on each side, all three being equipped with emergency explosive bolts to remove them in case of severe damage or emergencies. On the roof it has a pair of opening doors and two hatches for the commander and gunner. The armour is covered in radiation protective liquid glass resins, infra-red suppressive paint and LIDAR/RADAR absorbent paint. The Driver is sat in the up armoured 'combat tub' which is the forward chamber, with heavily upgraded armour and has single crystal quartz glass windows, with self regenerative features and self polarising protective features (from blinding LASERs and bright flashes) and gold tinting to protect from electromagnetic interference, which can resist even heavy fire, from 70mm cannons, at least for brief periods. The Driver can lift up the forward screen to allow easy access, escape or just raise it slightly for unhindered observance. Sat behind the driver is the main gunner, with a holographic weapons station for controlling the main gun system, with a universal bus that allows any single vehicle to be adapted to use any number of weapon systems. Sat to the left in the main hull in the 'operations' seat is the Commander, who has access to the defensive turret and the electronic warfare and defensive systems, allowing him to provide short range support for disembarking soldiers. UNSC Remarks "Its a tough and reliable little thing, I haven't had to have mine serviced in the four years we've been hauling Scorpions." "I thought we were dead to be honest. A Necros tank blew out one of our bogies, the front left one, rendered us immobile. The Necros were swarming outta the wood work to try and take us down. We were starting to run low when one of these turn up with a platoon of Marines. They winched us up and hauled us out, got us back to Firebase Charlie as well." "The reason I like it is because it can go places the ARRV can't. It can cross rivers, muddy ground, rough terrain, narrow streets and haul whatever needs hauling outta there."